Officers will be on the water in a new $36,000 vessel purchased for the marine unit.

When the decision was made last year to stop patrolling the rivers, officials said the resources could be better used elsewhere, particularly since the fire department has its own boat for patrols.

But last year’s disaster changed the thinking, O’Brien said.

"Really the floods I think demonstrated to us the importance of having the ability to get on the waterways,” he said.

River safety warning

Together with bylaw services and the fire department, Calgary police also issued a safety warning as the rafting season approaches.

“Our rivers have changed since the 2013 flood and we want to make sure that anyone thinking about going on the rivers is aware of the many dangers,” said Ken Uzeloc, deputy chief with the Calgary Fire Department, in a release.

“We’ve noticed several changes - from the flow of the river, to riverbanks that have been carved away and the debris that has been displaced in and around the rivers causing new hazards.”